RM1,000 fine for late registration of births – Nur Jazlan

Late registration of births will be slapped with RM1,000 fine. AFP file photo

KLUANG: Parents who failed to register their children within 60 days after their birth will be fined RM1,000 compared to only RM50 previously.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the implementation of the fine to be imposed with immediate effect, was not a revenue collection but to compel parents to register their child’s birth within the prescribed period.

“The government has made a decision (to increase the penalties) after the amendments on the Births and Deaths Registration and Adoption Act (Act 299), approved and passed by the Dewan Rakyat last year, which also stipulates that all births must be registered within 60 days, including illegitimate babies.

“This is to ensure and encourage parents to register their children as soon as possible. If they registered the birth late, then they will have to pay the RM1,000 fine.

“Parents should not take this lightly as it is pertaining their children’s identity,” he told reporters after opening the new Simpang Renggam National Registration Department (NRD) branch office in Taman Indah, near here yesterday.

In August, the government enforced the extension period for late birth registration from 42 days to 60 days, to provide more time for single parents or single mothers to complete their confinement period before registering their newborn.

Also present were Johor NRD director Rokiah Hanum Ibrahim.

“In the peninsula, there is no reason for parents to register the birth of their children late because they have good facilities in terms of communication, transportation and close proximity to NRD offices. However, it is different for parents in Sabah and Sarawak who may face problems in terms of distance and location of NRD offices that are far from residential areas (especially in rural areas),” said Nur Jazlan.

Meanwhile, the government has allocated a 30-day period to applicants of identification cards who have yet to claim their identification documents at the NRD offices to do so, failing which, the documents would be disposed.

He added that based on NRD records, 106,000 identification cards have yet to be claimed by their owners for the last three years. – Bernama